The state-of-the art remediation technique for chlorinated organic contamination is <i>in situ</i> remediation using NZVI. Nevertheless, an important technical challenge of this approach is that NZVI can degrade only dissolved contaminants but becomes less effective in eliminating dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zone. This research investigates an innovative concept to solve this technical difficulty by using electromagnetic induction heating of NZVI to chemically and physically degrade DNAPL source zone. Conceptually, polymer modified NZVI capable of targeting NAPL-water interface is delivered and emplaced in the neighbor of NAPL source zone due to chemical affinity between polymer and NAPL. Consequently, AC electromagnetic field is transmitted into the subsurface, inducing emplaced NZVI (a ferromagnetic material) to generate heat via magnetic hysteresis. The induced heat subsequently enhances elimination of DNAPL source zone both via enhanced reductive dechlorination and enhanced DNAPL solubilization. Both enhanced chemical and physical reactions promoted by magnetic induction heating of NZVI work together to rapidly degrade DNAPL source zones. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study utilizing magnetic property of NZVI for in situ remediation and is the first study evaluating this innovative approach. This concept is analogous to a cancer treatment approach called hyperthermia using magnetic nanoparticles to electromagnetically induce heat to specifically kill cancer cells.

Electromagnetic induction heating of polymer-modified nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) accelerates remediation of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) source zone via enhanced dechlorination and NAPL dissolution

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